None in their right mind could deny the huge influence Great Britain has had on the sports world. By that, I mean impact of international magnitude. So many gentleman’s games that still keep the audience on the edge of their seats have originated in the United Kingdom that a single post won’t be enough to go over all of them in great detail, but it’s worth trying none the less. We sports pundits like to juggle with facts and recite historical dates and fact, but this won’t be one of those articles that would resonate with just a limited audience of passionate fans. Instead, I’ll try to pass on some general knowledge on the matter that will surely serve you well!
Football – the Sport That Affected British Culture for Good
Let’s kick off with a game, that started on a club level and evolved into a worldwide phenomenon. Yes, I’m talking about football, also called ‘soccer’ across the pond. It’s important to note that before the game became what we know today, it went through many transformations. The sport made its mark on the history of British sports by started as an entertainment for the working class, gathering unseen amounts of viewers. Before long the action-packed nature of football, spurred an interest in the sport all across the world, starting in India and South America. Historically, the international football association (FIFA) has played a huge role in the fight against racism in sports and social inequality.
Boxing – the Not So Gentle Gentleman’s Sport
Not only is boxing considered one of the greatest fighting sports (taking into account that it attracts the most viewers of them all), it’s always been one of the hottest topics on the Island. There, pretty much everyone is crazy about the sport. Now deeply embedded into the nation’s culture, the origins of boxing can be traced back to the 15th century when it started as something called prize-fighting. This initial stage was particularly dangerous for the practitioners of the sport because it wasn’t any different than a regular street fight. Boxer Jack Broughton was the first that sought to end the chaotic mauling by introducing 7 clear fighting rules. Thanks to the many reforms that followed, now all fans can enjoy clean, longer and fairer fights.
Cricket – Not Exactly a Child’s Game
Cricket is widely believed to have started as a children’s game somewhere in south-east England. Two decades after, it became the country’ national sport. The sport has become the bone of contention because of claims that it was created in France. Beside the unclear roots of the game, it’s generally agreed on that cricket existed as a children’s game long before it became a professional sport. Surrounded by speculations and mystery, the history of the name is no less interesting. Linguists pinpoint three words as the possible foundation the name could have been derived from. Krick (Middle Dutch) meaning ‘stick’, cricc, or cryce meaning ‘staff’ in Old English. Most likely the name Cricket has been influenced a great deal by the southern English dialects.